Wireless Data

Well, I went to a Clear store to see TRUE mobile broadband for myself. . .

I asked the guy to show me a long HD video on YouTube to see how well it kept up, and it continued to load ahead of the video without any buffering necessary, but it didn't exactly zip along as I had thought it might, but ultimatly all that matters is that it loaded the video without buffering.

So I can't wait!!! First 6 months is ONLY $20/mo, and $40/mo there after. Also known as $20 less a month than Verizon & AT&T, and Clear doesn't have a evil data limit!!! The salesman told me he used 12GB's in only 2wks, and the girl there told me she streams Netflix movies!!! Kinda hard to stream movies with current loser 3G speeds, at least without buffering it is.

Thursday the 15th I'm going to order my USB modem on the web, cause they have...(continues)

Something that doesn't really make sense to me about this 4G stuff is Clear's network is currently capable of 3-6mbps with bursts up to 10mbps, the salesman actually told me he hit 11mbps one time!!! Anyway, with reguards to the speeds, HSPA+ which is a 3G technology, the last evolutionary step for GSM before deploying LTE, is capable of 21mbps. So therefore when I hear "4G" I think of speeds that are capable of more than what 3G is capable of.

But right now, as it stands is HSPA+ is capable of higher speeds than CLear's current "4G" nework.

Clear is working with Sprint though. When Verizon launches 4g, you'll either see a removal of the cap (or a much higher limit) or a lower cost, or both.

4g when it launches might seem "slower" than the fastest 3g, but it will get significantly faster. The real benefit of 4g is data capacity though. Where 3g gets saturated rather quickly, 4g will allow more simultaneous high bandwidth users, making the data "cheaper" for the carriers and thus for you.

those "slower" 4g speeds will also be available to a lot more people than the fastest 3g, and that 4g can only get faster.

Ah yes, good point about the capacity issue. It's called "MIMO" multiple input, multiple output. And with reguards to the limit, well, I shared what the salespeople said in my original post, the guy used 12gb's in 2wks, and the girl streams movies from Netflix. So, they don't seem to be too worried about data limits.

Yeah, how's that working, btw? Short rant here: Verizon only gave unlimited for a short time (they'll soon be going to tier--their prez said so months ago). they just needed to snatch up iPhone customers from AT&T, whose corporate model is "bleed the pigs." As noted in another post on here, AT&T is going to caps on their HOME Internet now. See? Let 'em get away with it once...

I would read your contract, because I highly doubt they have no data cap when every other company does. Because its very hard after you have a high bill to explain that you took them at their word yet signed a contract that said otherwise.

And by the way, I'm one of those different consumers, I don't believe in contrcts, they're marriage to a business. Clear lets users purchase a modem for $60 and go month-to month.

Businesses are businesses, not women, I don't believe in marrying a frinking business. I hate contracts, and I hate being BINDED to a company. Whatever happened to earning a customer, and keeping a custoemer happy??? Whatever happened to that???

I think contracts benefit that company a whole lot more than they do the consumer.

What happened to earning a consumer? Consumers started demanding things for free (or almost free).

When you're giving away things to a customer, you need a way to make that money back.

Of course contracts favor the company over the customer. Customers do benefit if thy are content to just have a phone, and don't switch devices more often than they need to, it's great because they would (most likely) be paying for 2+ years anyway. as a bonus, they get the phone for next to nothing.

But the customer wanted something for free, and contracts became the way to get it.

Every choice has a cost associated with it. For a consumer who wants to be free to choose his carrier, they pay the premium for the device, for the customer that wan...(continues)

That 2nd to last paragraph is absolutly shameful!!! The one about the customer not willing to pay a frinkin measly .99 cents!!!

Back in April 20th of 07 my mother, 55y/o at the time was willing to pay $120 on a 2yr contract for a Samsung Sync, which btw she still has to this day. And she has been month to month now for 6mo's. Samsung Sync isn't a bad phone at all for someone like my mother.

"While there is a VERY vocal minority (mainly on the web) of people who hate contracts and are willing to pay to avoid them, but an overwhelming majority of consumers in the US (no matter the market) only see monthly payments, and think that the phones should be free."

Bravo.

The only company I know of that does it right, as far as I'm concerned, is T-Mobile. They actually charge you *LESS* if you don't get a free phone.

95%+ of people, when they see the retail price of the "nice" phones just laugh.f

There is *NO* way that most people will pay full price for a phone when their phone bill will be the same... might as well get the free phone... and might as well sign the contract.

I just hung up with Clear Tech support and indeed it is unlimited. I lov'n these people.Start-up cost the first month is $105 + tax. That includes the USB modem, activation, 1st month service. I have good coverage at both my home & work addresses.

Stop asking them and find actual written documentation from either paperwork you recieved or on their website. That is the only way you will be able to fight overage charges when they occur. Just because some 20 yr old on the phone said it is indeed unlimited doesn't mean anything.

I got hit from TMobile on unlimited data mobile phone plan, so yes, by all means, read the fine print, it stated in sublime terms that they do not allow voice over their network, as in VOIP, so I got hit big time as I was trying VOIP over mobile, so lesson learned, read fine print.

Well 4G is based off multi input multi output (MIMO) so I understand the towers can handle more users than 3G. And with reguards to the speeds, there was an article on Phone Scoop yesterday mentioning Samsung testing WiMax Release 2 by the end of next year, check it out. Unfortunatley the article didn't say what the speeds will be.

Was riding shotgun on a 2.5 hour+ plus ride and didnt wanna miss my canes spank on WF. At the last minute I downloaded tetherberry, Charged up my laptop, went to espn360 and watched the game on there.. I lost the game for about 10 minutes at one point but never had an issue outside of that. This was a pretty bfe area as well.